Minister battles legal tangles in land grab case

After former CM Yeddyurappa was jailed for his alleged role in the land denotification case, it looks like trouble is on its way for Home Minister R Ashoka, whose involvement in the same case will now be investigated by officials on the instructions of the Lokayukta Court.

This move came after city based advocate Jayaprakash Hiremath filed a complaint alleging that the home minister possessed two pieces of illegal land.

R Ashoka has been accused of purchasing land at Rs 44.74 lakh,against the market value of over 15 crore

Reportedly, Ashoka is the prime accused, while Yeddyurappa is the second, followed by the previous owners of the land, G Shamanna and Ramaswamy, who are respectively the third and fourth accused.

The Lokayukta police will investigate the case after filling a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 156 of the CrPC.

This indicates that Ashoka may have to resign on moral grounds since an FIR will be charged against the ruling minister.

As per Hiremath's counsel, advocate A K Subbaiah, home minister purchased the land at a meagre Rs 44.74 lakh when the market value of the land is over 15 crore.

Earlier, Manjunath, an RTI activist had filed a private complaint against Ashoka, before the Special Lokayukta Court. But when Ashoka challenged it in the High Court, in July, Manjunath withdrew the complaint.

Subbaiah, who now suspects that Ashoka and Manjunatha may have struck a deal in the case, said, "It's not a personal matter, but a corruption case.

It cannot be withdrawn like this. Ashoka may have struck a deal with Manjunatha to withdraw the case."

According to the present complaint, Manjunatha has been named as the third witness.